Shame on Us! (Giving Still More Power to Such a Party)

Giving more power to a Republican Party that has has been blatantly indifferent to the good of the nation.

Never in American history has there been a party so consistently destructive in its impact on America. Indeed, it is hard to find an instance these past six years when the Republicans have even tried to be constructive, tried to address our national problems.

Never in American history has there been a party so consistently dishonest in its communications to the people.

To know of this unprecedented betrayal of the nation, we have no need of secret tapes or conspirators coming forward to testify. It has been there undisguised, right in front of our eyes.

Yet, yesterday, tens of millions of Americans who are unhappy with “Congress” for its record-setting failure to take care of the nation’s business voted for the party that deliberately worked to make Congress fail.

Shame!

Shame on us, the Democratic Party.

Once again running timidly (2002, 2010), the Democrats have failed not only themselves but the nation.

Clearly, the American people need help in seeing the monstrosity the Republican Party has become. But the Democrats — either blind to that reality, or afraid to speak of it — did not give them that help.

The Democrats should have helped the American people see how wantonly the GOP has trampled upon the ideals and traditions of our American democracy.

But they didn’t. And now the Republican strategy of seeking more power for themselves by creating problems they can blame on their opponents has been rewarded.

We live in a time of great darkening.

If the people at the top of the Democratic Party are incapable of rescuing our democracy from (what FDR called) “the forces of selfishness and of lust for power,” we in the grassroots will need to find a way to take up the job ourselves.

The stakes are just too high. Are we willing to work to save our democracy from this ongoing power grab from the plutocrats whose instrument the Republican Party has become? Are we willing to work to assure that our nation acts responsibly in the face of the mounting danger of environmental catastrophe from the disruption of our climate, which the Republican Party has made it dogma to deny?

Out here in the 7th district friends and neighbors vote the same way no matter what conditions are facing the country. And that way is the republican party. There is no way we liberals can change them. When I talk to them they have no constructive ideas just like the people they vote for. I tell them I would vote for their candidate if he are she had a better plan, but get no response.

I jokingly told a repug friend that I was taking my drivers license, registration card, and passport so I could vote. All I got was a mean stare.

ericd

Congratulations to the Republican Senators, Representatives, and Governors who won election last night. We are now looking to you to solve the nation’s problems, so please share with us:

1) What are your plans for the millions of “illegal immigrants” in the US today? Will they be deported, and when will this process begin?

2) What are your plans for replacing Obamacare? Will you keep the preexisting conditions policy? When can we expect our health care premiums to decrease?

3) How will you ensure Ebola doesn’t become an epidemic in America? When can we expect data that shows the epidemic is decreasing? What are your plans if we see other cases of Ebola in America?

4) When will we start seeing ground troop sent to the Middle East? How will we know when we’re winning, and how long will we be there? What’s an exceptiable number of American casualties?

5) Will you pass legislation to reinstate Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and when will you get started on that?

6) Will you pass legislation that overrides the decisions of “activists judges” regarding equal marriage and mandate this be a state issue? How will this effect people who move from state to state?

Thank you.

Jim B

by the repugs, but Obama and the remaining democrats can still have something to say about how the senate goes forward. The thing I worry about is will Obama use his veto pen and will some of the dems cave. None of this will be necessary if the repugs put forth some useful ideas. What are the chances of that happening?

Constable Fraser

Thanks for your excellent post, Andy. Absolutely agree. We should point out how the Rethugs have betrayed this country.

Here’s my question: why are Democrats so stupid? I’m reluctantly coming to think that the Rethugs are cleverer than we. All Democrats seem to do is to examine each other’s ideological purity, i.e., “I’m not voting for Hilary! She’s a centrist/corporatist/triangulator/enemy of the working class.” Democrats should present a united front.

Moreover, we should take a leaf out of the Rethugs’ playbook. Although they don’t believe in looking to the long term in business, they certainly do with regard to politics. They run for office–ANY kind of office! City dog catcher. Sheriff. School board member. District Supervisor. Anything! Thus they grow a farm team, so to speak, so people can get themselves known and then run for election to the state legislature and from there to Congress (see Transvaginal Barbie), and higher state and federal office.

THAT’S what we need to do instead of grumbling that this or that Democrat isn’t pure enough. Oh, certainly, the nominees have to agree with some principles–women’s reproductive rights, climate change, higher minimum wage, and so on–but just because he or she may have voted for Bush’s wars 14 years ago is no reason to disqualify them now.

pvogel

absent from the news media today, nobody disputes that . nobody has a ready reason for it. My logical reason…. You cannot use Ebola to scare the voters the day after the election.